with trees and thicket. The pleasing variety of easy swells and hollows, bounded by scenes less smooth and cultivated, affords the most delightful picture of domestic retirement and tranquillity. We now descend to a seat inclosed with handsome pales, and backed with firs, inscribed to Lord Lyttelton. It presents a beautiful view up a valley contracted gradually, and ending in a group of most magnificent oaks and beeches. The right-hand side is enlivened with two striking cascades, and a winding stream seen at intervals between tufts of trees and woodland. To the left appears the hanging wood already mentioned, with the gothic screen on the slope in the centre. Winding still downwards, we come to a smati seat, where one of the offices of the house, and a view of a cottage on very high ground, is seen over the tops of the trees of the grove in the adjacent valley, giving an agreeable instance of the abrupt inequality of ground in this romantic well-variegated country. The next seat shows another face of the same valley, the water gliding calmly along betwixt two seeming groves without any cascade, as a contrast to the former one, where it was broken by cascades: the scene very significantly alluded to by the motto, 'Rura mihi, et rigui placeant in vallibus amnes, We descend now to a beautiful gloomy scene, called Virgil's Grove, where, on the entrance, we 13 IMITATION. Woods, vales, and running streams, my mind enchant; pass by a small obelisk on the right hand, with this inscription: P. Virgilio Maroni Lapis iste cvm Ivco sacer esto 14. Before this is a slight bench, where some of the same objects are seen again, but in a different point of light. It is not very easy either to paint or describe this delightful grove: however, as the former has been more than once attempted, I will hope to apologize for an imperfect description, by the difficulty found by those who have aimed to sketch it with their pencil. Be it, therefore, first observed, that the whole scene is opaque and gloomy, consisting of a small deep valley or dingle, the sides of which are inclosed with irregular tufts of hazel and other underwood, and the whole overshadowed with lofty trees rising out of the bottom of the dingle, through which a copious stream makes its way through mossy banks, enamelled with primroses, and variety of wild wood-flowers, The first seat we approach is thus inscribed: Celeberrimo Poetæ Prope fontes illi non fastiditos G. S. Sedem hanc ornavit 15. 14 EXPLANATION. Το P. Virgilius Maro, and grove is consecrated *. 15 EXPLA *Note. It was customary with the Romans to give a prænomen, or first name, in the manner of our Christian names, accordingly Virgil had that of Publius. He derived the addition of Maro from his father, who was so called. 'Quæ tibi, quæ tali reddam pro carmine dona? This seat is placed upon a steep bank on the edge of the valley, from which the eye is here drawn down into the flat below, by the light that glimmers in front, and by the sound of various cascades, by which the winding stream is agreeably broken. Opposite to this seat the ground rises again in an easy concave to a kind of dripping fountain, where a small rill trickles down a rude nich of rock-work, through fern, liverwort, and aquatic weeds, the green area in the middle, through which the stream winds, being as well shaped as can be imagined. After falling down these cascades, it winds under a bridge of one arch, and then empties itself into a small lake which catches it a little below. This terminates the scene upon the right; and after these objects have for some time amused the spectator, his eye rambles to the left, where one of the most beautiful cascades imaginable is seen, by way of 16 EXPLANATION. To the much celebrated Poet near his favourite springs by W. S. 16 IMITATION. How shall I thank thy Muse, so form'd to please? For not the whispering of the southern breeze, incident, through a kind of vista or glade, falling down a precipice overarched with trees, and strikes us with surprise. It is impossible to express the pleasure which one feels on this occasion; for though surprise alone is not excellence, it may serve to quicken the effect of what is beautiful. I believe none ever beheld this grove without a thorough sense of satisfaction; and were one to choose any particular spot of this perfectly Arcadian farm, it should, perhaps, be this; although it so well contrasts both with the terrace and with some other scenes, that one cannot wish them ever to be divided. We now proceed to a seat at the bottom of a large root on the side of a slope, with this in<scription: INSCRIPTION. O let me haunt this peaceful shade, The tenants of this leafy bower,, That shun her paths, and slight her power. Hither the peaceful halcyon flies The trout, bedropp'd with crimson stains, And sure I hear the Naiad say, "Flow, flow, my Stream! this devious way; 'Flow, gentle Stream! nor let the vain The view from it is a calm tranquil scene of water, gliding through sloping ground, with a sketch through the trees of the small pond below. The scene in this place is that of water stealing along through a rude sequestered vale, the ground on each side covered with weeds and field flowers, as that before is kept close shaven. Farther on we lose all sight of water, and only hear the noise, without having the appearance; a kind of effect which the Chinese are fond of producing in what they call their scenes of enchantment. We now turn, all on a sudden, upon the high cascade which we admired before in vista. The scene around is quite a grotto of native stone running up it, roots of trees overhanging it, and the whole shaded over head. However, we first approach, upon the left, a chalybeate spring, with an iron bowl chained to it, and this inscription upon a stone : Fons ferrvginevs Divæ qvæ secessv isto frvi concedit 17. Then turning to the right, we find a stone seat, making part of the aforesaid cave, with this wellapplied inscription: Intus aqvæ dulces, vivoqve sedilia saxo; 17 EXPLANATION. To the Goddess who bestowed the enjoyment of these retreats, This chalybeate spring 18 IMITATION. Within are wholesome springs, and marble seats Carv'd in the living rock, of Nymphs the bless'd retreats |